Arranged

9

    "Hey, Juggie?"
    "Yeah baby?"
    "I'm sorry I made you feel like I loved Archie."
    "That's alright."
    "No, it's not. I should have made it more clear and showed you how much I love you."
    "Awe, Betts. You're so sweet, I love you so much." He hugs her, pressing his lips against her forehead. "Listen, I know Archie was your best friend for a long time. Why don't you go visit him and Josie?"
    "Are you sure you're okay with that?"
    "Yeah, of course. I trust you."
    "Aw, thank you."
    "And I know you trust me, which is why I'm going to go see Ethel."
    "I'm sorry, what?"
    "I'm going to go visit Ethel."
    Betty chuckles. "Uh, no."
    "Why not, is the exact same situation as you and Archie."
    "No, it's not. Do you know how it's not? I didn't date Archie. I didn't have sex with Archie and there is zero chance of anything happening with Archie."
    "I-"
    "Nope, we aren't having this conversation. Friends and exes are completely different territories."
    "Well, I was never in love with Ethel, but it was pretty obvious you were in love with Archie and by the way, I never had sex with Ethel. That was a rumour started by Chuck Clayton, who, by the way, also started the rumour that you and Andrews were screwing."
    "Well at least Archie wouldn't pull this crap on me."
    "That's because Archie didn't give a rats ass about you. He didn't fucking care. I don't know, just go be with him if he would be a better husband. Go, he's your soul mate, isn't he?"
    "Fine." Betty says, leaving the house.
    She calls Archie to puck her up and as soon as she got in his car Betty broke down, crying. Archie hugs her, pulling Betty into his lap. She sobs into the crook of his neck.
    "What happened, Betty?"
    "Jughead and I had a fight."
    "Aww, Betty. I'm sorry. It will all be okay, I promise."
    "He said that I could see you but he should be allowed to go see Ethel."
    "What? His ex-girlfriend. That's not the same thing at all."
    "I know, that's what I said." Betty continues to sob into the crook of his neck.
    Jughead walks out of the front door and sees Archies car parked out front. He looks inside and sees Betty sitting in Archies lap. He sighs, turning around and walking back into the house. Hours pass. Archie's car is gone along with Betty. He jumps up when the front door opens but is only met with Cheryl.
    "Hey." She smiles.
    Jughead smiles sadly back at her.
    "What's wrong?"
    "Betty and I had a fight and she left. With Archie." A tear escapes his eye and Cheryl rushes over to him.
    "Don't worry, she'll be back, okay? Nothing ever has or ever will happen between them. Josie is pregnant. They're just friends, okay?" She says hugging him.
    "I just love her so much and she was in his lap in the car and I-"
    "I'll call her and tell her in at the house. She'll come back and you can talk it out."
    Cheryl confirms Betty is coming back and then leaves. When Betty gets home she is wearing Archies Riverdale hoodie. She sees Jughead staring at it. She pulls it over her head and throws it down into the couch.
    "I'm sorry." She says.
    Her voice is gravely as if she hadn't drunk water in forever.
    "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have done that to you. It wasn't fair." Jughead said.
    "I should have stayed with you and talked about it instead of talking to Archie."
    "Betty, it really hurt to see you in his lap."
    "I know, that was so unfair and I'm sorry. But you have to know, nothing happened between me and Archie."
    "You were wearing his sweater."
    "I know, I was talking to Josie and I was cold so she gave me his sweater. Archie wasn't around much. He was making dinner. I was mostly just talking to Josie."
    Betty walks over to him and lays her head in his lap. He strokes her hair and she sobs.
    "Betty, I'm sorry I'm putting you through this. I shouldn't have thrown Ethel in your face."
    Betty continues to cry and he pulls her up so she's sitting in his lap with her legs wrapped around his waist. He cries into his neck and he rubs her back soothingly.
    "Please don't be mad at me." She chokes out.
    "I'm not mad at you, okay? I promise."
    "I don't know why I'm crying so much, it's stupid."
    "No, it's not. You are feeling what you're feeling because I hurt you, but also because you feel guilty."
    "Cheryl said you were crying."
    "I thought I was going to lose you when I just got you to love me."
    "You won't lose me. It's illegal, remember?" She jokes.
    He chuckles, letting a few tears escape. Betty pulls back, wiping away his tears and kissing him.
    "You're all puffy." He smiles.
    "Shut up." She laughs, sniffling. "I love you. Only you."
    "I love you too, so damn much."
    "I've never seen you cry before."
    "I've never seen you cry either. I can't say I like seeing you cry."
    Betty kisses him. "I'm sorry"
    "No, whenever you need to cry, just cry, okay? I don't want you to bottle anything up. I just want you to be happy with me."
    "I am happy with you, I just hate Ethel so much."
    Jughead laughs. "That's fair."
    "I mean, she's just such a bitch." She laughs along with him.
    "Ya, I can't disagree with you on that."
    "But I can't help but think about how you wanted her and not me."
    "Betty, I've always wanted you, you just didn't know I existed."
    "I wish I had."
    "Me too."